Printing machine



Jan. 17, 1956 I u. SCHUSTER 2,730,944

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTOR, 0175's: 5

Jan. 17, 1956 sc us 2,73@,944

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 7a 74 15 2 2 FIG. 42 l 1 2 b A4 b ll 44. '42s A 2 1 0 rm 3% a 48 2a 3 at E 49 a 11 25 422 41s 55 o u do 7 INVENTOR.. (/l/SSE EMA 037751? Jan. 17, 1956 u. SCHUSTER PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT'OR.

Jan. 17, 1956 u. scHusTER 2,730,944

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN T OR. l/LYS'SE SCl/l/S rm Jan. 17, 1956 u. SCHUSTER 2,730,944

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. uLysss sc/lusrsR Jan. 17, 1956 u. SCHUSTER 3 PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1955 7 Sheets Sheet 6 lI/l/l/LI I N VEN TOR. my: sex/warm Jan. 17, 1956 u. scHus'rER 2,730,944

ZRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent PRINTING MACHINE Ulysse Schuster, Ixelles, Belgium Application February 2, 1953, Serial No. 334,421

Claims priority, application Belgium February 8, 1952 7 Claims. (Cl. 101-68) This invention relates to a printing machine comprising a fixed support for individual rigid documents which, by means of a reciprocating pusher, are conveyed in turn from a magazine to the support for the printing of a text referred toherein as the complete text, a second fixed support for a reference strip which remains in the machine and which moves forward a certain distance after each text referred to herein as the abridged text" is printed, which corresponds to the complete text printed simultaneously on an individual document, this second fixed support being arranged in relation to the first support on the side opposite to that where the magazine is situated, and in such a way that the abridged text can be printed either at the foot or at the head of the complete text, a head which can be moved towards or away from the two fixed supports mentioned above and containing a detachable typing unit which simultaneously prints a complete text and the corresponding abridged text when the said head is moved towards the two fixed supports, and two inking ribbons interposed one between the typing unit and the individual document and the other between the typing unit and the reference strip, these two inking ribbons being movable in a direction perpendicular to that in which the individual documents are pushed to the printing position.

A machine of this type as shown in Patent 2,626,565, granted January 27, 1953, has already been .proposed in which, after each printing operation, the individual rigid document which has just been printed is pushed out of the machine by the individual rigid document which is to be printed during the following printing operation. The direction in which the individual rigid printed documents are removed is therefore parallel to the direction in which the rigid documents are fed from the magazine to the printing position. When a printed rigid document is ejected, it passes above the reference strip and the corresponding inking ribbon. The reference strip is movable on contact with its printing support in.a direction parallel to the ejection direction while its inking ribbon moves in a perpendicular direction.

This known machine is not suitable for the simul taneously printing on several continuous strips of abridged texts such as those printed on the reference strip, when the said continuous strips are intended to leave the machine and be cut up on leaving. In fact no pulling device can be used forthese strips because each section cut off would have to comprise a long piece of paper in addition to the part carrying the abridged text. On the other hand the said continuous strips cannot be moved forwards by pushing because it would necessitate a relatively large dis tance between the inking ribbons, and because, in this case, it would be extremely difficult for the individual printed documents to be ejected by those which still had to be printed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine which does not have this disadvantage in the event of the abridged text being printed on at least one con- 2,730,944 Patented Jan. 17, 1955 tinuous strip in addition to the reference strip and the individual rigid documents.

The machine according to the invention is characterised in that the inking ribbon which is used for printing the above-mentioned reference strip, passes over idler rollers in such a way that between this strip and the detachable typing unit situated in the printing head there are at least two strands sufiiciently far apart to allow at least one strip to pass freely between them as it is pushed towards the outside of the machine in the direction in which the individual documents are pushed from the magazine towards the position where they are printed, the said strands being, however, sufiiciently close together to allow for the simultaneous printing of the abridged text on the strips leaving the machine and on the reference strip which remains in the machine, and in that the individual documents, after being printed, are ejected from the machine from the position Where they were printed, in a direction perpendicular to that at which they were pushed to this position, by means of a reciprocating carriage which makes its forward and return stroke between the moment when the printing operation takes place and the moment when the pusher begins its movement to bring the next rigid document into position at the printing position.

The use of an inking ribbon passing over idler rollers is well known in other machines. The same applies to the use, of continuous strips which are pushed between different inking ribbons. The invention consists in the combination of these two characteristics with the ejection of the individual printed documents in a direction at right angles to the feed direction of the individual documents to the printing position.

The machine according to the invention also has the advantage that it allows the individual documents to be notched easily on leaving the machine without the notch ing device being able to get in the way of the cutting up of the continuous strips immediately on leaving the machine, that is to say very close to the position where they have just been printed.

In a preferred embodiment, the reciprocal movement of the reciprocating pusher feed mechanism and the reciprocating movement of the reciprocating carriage are governed one after the other by the rotation first in one direction and then in the other of a gearwheel set in motion by the displacement of a reciprocating control lever, the said gearwheel actuating two gear mechanisms in a single direction arranged in such a way that the driven shaft of one of these mechanism is driven while the abovementioned gearwheel is turning in one direction while the driven shaft of the other mechanism is driven while the above-mentioned gearwheel is turning in the opposite direction to that considered in the first place. Furthermore, each of the above-mentioned driven shafts governs a printing head which can be moved towards and away' from this fixed support.

The machine according to the invention makes it possible to print, by means of detachable typing units, wider documents than the above-mentioned individual documents.

For this purpose, the machine has in addition to the I above-mentioned fixed support, another support which is nism for the pusher and the member which controls this closer to the printing head by a distance equal to the thickness of one individual rigid document. Additionally a disengaging device is provided between the driving mechaseries is begun. however to prevent fraudulent access to the reference mechanism, and finally the detachable typing unit is wider than the support for the individual rigid documents.

With. such a machine the'individual rigid document conveyed to its printing support by the pusher but not removed by it, acts as a partial printing support for the wider document which is supported at the same time by the support beside that for the individual document,

Preferablyjthe machine also comprises a device for locking the pusher in its disengaged position. a I In a preferred embodiment which can be applied in combination with the transverse ejection of the rigid docuine nts by means of the carriage mentioned above, disengaging devices are provided between the driving mechanisms of the pusher and of the carriage on the one hand, and the member which governs them, on the other. Furthermore these two disengaging devices are controlled in such a way as to disengage the corresponding mechanisms simultaneously. Moreover there is a connection between the member governing the disengaging devices and the member governing the driving mechanisms in a single direction, so that the member governing the disengaging devices cannot be brought into the position causing the two disengagements except when the pusher has already conveyed a rigid document into the printing position but before the carriage for the ejection of this document has been displaced. Finally a device for locking the pusher and the carriage in the positions which they occupy at this moment is provided in conjunction with the member governing the disengaging devices so as to simultaneously operate the locking and the disengaging of the pusher and of the carriage.

The invention also relates to a printing machine comprising, in a casing, a magazine containing individual documents'to be printed, means for bringing the individual documents in turn into a position where they are printed means of a detachable typing unit which can be introduced, from the outside of the casing, into a printing head which can be moved towards or away from a support for the individual document to be printed, the said casing being sealed so as to prevent fraudulent access to the positions in which are printed the individual'documents and a reference strip which remains in the machine and on which the detachable typing unit introduced into the printing head, prints a text related to the text printed simulta-. neously by this typing unit on the individual document conveyed to, its printing support.

When a machine of this type is used, it often happens that part of the text to be printed on a series of individual documents is the same for all the documents in this series and that this common part varies one series to another.

This is so, for example, in all machines where the date of printing is printed on the individual documents. All the documents printed on the same day should carry the same date but this should be changed from dayto day.

The detachable typing unit which are introduced into the printing head cannot, therefore, carry the text which varies from one series of documents to another. This text must be part of a second detachable typing unit which must be introduced into the machine each time a new In the case where the casing is sealed can be displaced from a position in which it is accessible through an aperture in the casing, to a position in which it is applied by the pr n ing head on the individual document at the same time as the first detachable typing unit.

Preferably, the above-mentioned support is secured to a pivot which is accessible from the outside, can bemoved axially, and the axis of which is parallel tothe direction in with a stop which limits its axial movement in the direca tion corresponding to the release of the second detachable typing unit. Finally the shape of the support carrying the second detachable typing unit is such that the latter i .can be brought opposite the above-mentioned aperture in the casing, solely by being pivoted from the position corresponding to the above-mentioned release.

Other characteristics and details of the invention will be revealed in the course of the description of the drawings accompanying this specification, which represent diagrammatically, and by way of example only, a specific embodiment of the machine according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view, in perspective, partly cut away, of a machine according to the invention with the casing open, the two detachable typing units being in the position in which they can be substituted by others.

Figure 2 is a partly cut away perspective view looking from left to right, of the machine illustrated in Figure l, the twodetachable typing units being in the printing position but not visible. I

Figure 3 is a partly cut away perspective view from left to right and from the back to the front of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a partly cut away perspective view looking simultaneously from right to left and from the back to the front of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a partly cut away perspective view of the machine according to the invention with the casing closed and in which one of the detachable typing units is visible through an aperture in the casing.

Figure 6 is a partial perspective view of part of the driving mechanism for the ribbons.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of part of this mechanism on the line VII-VII in Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section along the line VIII,VIII in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section on a plane indicated by the line IX-IX in Figure 13 of part of the mechanism actuating the pusher-which moves the individual rigid documents forwards towards their printing position, and of the mechanism which displaces, transversely to the direction of displacement of the pusher, the carriage which ejects the individual rigid documents which have been printed.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of part of the mechanism shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic plan view of part of the mechanism which actuates the inking ribbons rollers and of the disengaging and locking device for the mechanisms whieh actuate the pusher and the carriage mentioned in onne ti n w th i u Figure 12; isa verticalsectiongalong the broken line XII---XII in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a vertical section along the line XIII- XIII. in F ure 11- Figure 14 shows schematically in elevation the lower portion of the housing and certain elements showing the displacement in the, machine of the individual documents for the control strip and oi the continuous strips which leave the machine, such figure showing furthermore the arrangement of the printing plate in the printing head-with relation to the printing supports of the different documents to beprinted.

In these various Figures, the same reference numerals designate identical parts.

The printing machine illustrated comprises a magazine 2, in which a certain number of individual rigid documents are stacked. These, documents are pressed downwards by a plate 3, guided in thismagazine. The bottom ocument an: be P hed in he d ti n. of the arr X (Figures 4, 9, 10 and 14) by means of a pusher 4 (Figs.

4 and 9), towards a position where it is to be printed and which is situated towards the frontof the machine.

A rigid document, in the printing position, is shown in dash and dotted lines on Figure 10, where it is numbered 5. This rigid document is carried by a fixed support 6. It is intended to receive a text referred to as the complete text at the same time that another text, referred to as the abridged text, which recalls certain information contained in the complete text, is printed on a reference strip 127 (Fig. 14) which remains in the machine. This reference strip passes over a fixed support 128 which is arranged on the opposite side of the above-mentioned support 6 to the magazine 2. A roller 129 is provided and, in known manner, it advances between two successive printings by being entrained between the rollers 130 and 131. It is wound upon a roller 132. t i

The complete text and the abridged text form part of a detachable typing unit 7 (Figs. 1 and 14) which can be introduced into the machine from the front. In Figure 1 this typing unit is shown in a position which it occupies before being pushed home in the machine while in Fig. 14 it is shown pushed home in the machine. It is wider than the individual documents on which it is to print the complete text which it carries. The reason for this excess width will be explained hereinafter.

The abridged text is arranged, in relation to the complete text, in such a way that the printing on the reference strip which remains in the machine, is done either at the foot or at the head of the complete text printed on a rigid document.

When the typing unit is completely fitted in position in the machine it is below a printing head 8 carried by a lever 9 (Figures 2, 4 and 14) pivoting at 10. By the pivoting of the lever, the printing head can be moved towards and away from the printing position of the documents to be printed and from the supports 6 and 128 carrying these documents.

The lever 9 is articulated at 11 to a tube 12 guided in a support 13 and subjected to the action of a spring which it contains. it carries a projection 15 (Figures 3 and 12) which can be moved by the rotation of a cam 16 in the direction of the arrow Y. This cam is secured to a shaft 17 to which there is also secured a plate 18 (Figures 11 and 13) carrying a pawl 19. This is constantly urged by a spring 24 towards a hub 21 which is rigidly attached to a gearwheel 22. The hub 21 has two notches 22' diametrically opposite to one another, and into one or other of which the pawl 19 can enter.

The gearwheel 22 meshes with another gearwheel 23 (Figures 2, 3 and 11). The latter is fixed on a shaft 24 carrying a crank 25 which is articulated to a link 26. This is connected to a part 27 (Figure 3) fixed on a shaft 28 carrying an operating lever 29.

When this lever is actuated in the direction of the arrow Z (Figures 2, 3 and 5) forabout a quarter turn, the shaft 24- turns in the same direction for a quarter turn and because of the ratio of the radii of the gearwheels 22 and 23, the hub 21 turns a half-turn in the direction of the arrow Y. The plate 18 and the cam 16 turn in the same direction and the pawl 15' of the lever 9 pivots around the pivot 10, with the result that the spring contained in the tube 12 is compressed. Shortly before the cam 16 has completed a half-turn, it leaves the projection 15 and the spring contained in the tube 12 is released suddenly. A spring 1d mounted outside this tube serves as a damper.

The release of the spring in the tube 12 causes the printing head s to approach the supports on which there are an individual rigid document and the reference strip which remains in the machine. 1

As the operating lever 29 returns, the pawl 19 is pushed back out of the notch 22' in which it is engaged and the hub 21 slides in contact with it for a half-turn. At this point the pawl 19 enters the other one of the two notches 22. The pawl 19, the plate 18 and the cam 16 are prevented from turning in a direction opposite to the arrow Y, as a result of the engaging of a pawl 30 inone of the two diametrically opposite notches 31 provided in the periphery of the plate 18.

The displacement of the operating arm 29 in the direction of the arrow Z, also has the effect of actuating the pusher 4 in such a way as to push an individual rigid documerit from the magazine to the place where it is to be printed, and to bring this pusher back to its starting position. In order to do this, the gearwheel 23 engages with another gearwheel 32 freely mounted on two shafts 33 and 34 (Figure 9). This gearwheel 32 has a diameter equal to a quarter of the diameter of the gearwheel 23 so that it makes a complete revolution during the displacement of the operating lever 29 in the direction of the arrow Z to the end of its stroke. This gearwheel 32 is rigidly attached to two discs 35 and 36. The disc 36 cooperates with a pawl 37 (Fig. 12) carried by a plate 38. The latter is secured to the shaft 34. The disc 36 has a peripheral notch 39 which cooperates with the pawl 37, while the plate 33 has a peripheral notch 40 which cooperates with a pawl 41, the pivot 42 of which is mounted on a fixed part.

The peripheral notch 39 and the pawl 37 are arranged so that when the operating lever 29 is lowered in the direction of the arrow Z, the gearwheel 32 carries the disc 36 and the plate 38 round in the direction of the arrow P (Figures 9 and 12).

The shaft 34 carries a bevel gearwheel 43 which meshes with a bevel gearwheel 44 rigidly secured to a plate 45 which makes a complete revolution during the lowering of the operating lever 29 to the end of its stroke in the direction of the arrow Z.

To this plate there is connected a link 46 attached to the pusher 4. During the first part of the travel of the plate, the pusher 4 is displaced in the direction of the arrow X, and it is displaced in the opposite direction during the second part of the travel of the plate. The individual document to be printed is thus conveyed from the magazine to the printing position before the printing head carried by the lever 9 is lowered to make the impression.

The disc 35 arranged on the opposite side of the gearwheel 32 to the disc 36, also has a peripheral notch as shown at 17 (Figure 13). It cooperates with pawl 48 carried by a plate 49. This is secured on the shaft 33. The pawl 48 points in the opposite direction to the pawl 37 so as to drive the plate 49 while the plate 38 is stationary and remains stationary itself while the plate 38 is driven.

As a result of this arrangement, the shaft 33, which governs, in the manner which will be described hereinafter, the displacement mechanism of a carriage which ejects the printed individual rigid documents in a direction at right angles to the direction of the arrow X, is only set in rotation during the return of the operating lever 29.

The plate 49 has a notch 50 on its periphery which engages a pawl 51, the pivot 52 of which is carried by a fixed part of the machine. This pawl prevents the shaft 33 from turning in the direction of the arrow P.

On the shaft 33 there is secured a bevel gearwheel 53 which meshes with a bevel gearwheel 54. The outer part of the web of this gearwheel is connected to a link 55 ending in a crank 56 secured to the same shaft as a toothed segment 57, extending over a little more than a quarter turn. This segment meshes with a gearwheel 58 secured to the same shaft as a pulley 59.

The length of the crank 56 in relation to the distance separating the point of attachment of the link 55 from the axis of rotation of the gearwheel 54, is such that the crank 56 and the toothed segment 57 make a quarter turn. Furthermore, the ratio of the radii of this toothed segment and of the gearwheel 58 is 4:1 so that to each revolution of the gearwheel 54 corresponds a complete revolution of the pulley 59 first in one direction then in the other. Over this pulley there passes an endless cable 60, which also passes over a return pulley 61. Two other pulleys 62 and 63 are arranged in such a way that the where the individual documents are printed in turn. To A one of the strands of the cable/60 there is attached a carriage 64 (Figures 9 and 10) provided with two fingers 65 guided in two grooves 66 made in the support for the documents to be printed.

As can easily be seen, the rotation of the shaft 33 in the opposite direction to the arrow P, after the shaft 34 has'finished its rotation, has the eifect of causing the bevel gearwheel 54 to turn in the direction of the arrow R and of causing'thetoothed segment 57 to pivot in the direction of the arrow S. The resulting rotation ofthe pulley 59 causes the displacement, in the direction of the arrow T, of the strand of the belt 60 to which the carriage 64 is attached. This displacement takes place during the first half-turn of the gearwheel 54. The carriage is brought back into its starting position during the second half-turn of this gearwheel.

The individual documents andthe reference strip which remains in the machine are printed by means of inking ribbons. These ribbons are displaced transversely to the direction X in which the individual rigid documents move from the magazine to the printing position. To this end, the shaft 24 has an eccentric stud 67 (Figures 4, 11 and 12) in relation to which a pawl 68 pivots. This pawl co-operates with a ratchet wheel 69 and is subjected to the action of a spring 70. When the shaft 24 turns in the direction of the arrow Z from the position shown in Figure 12, the pawl 68 slides over theteeth of the ratchet wheel 69, which is prevented from turning in the direction of the arrow U by a pawl 71, the pivot 71 of which is carried by a fixed part. After the stud 67 has made about half a turn, the pawl 68 carries the ratchet wheel 69 round in the opposite direction to the arrow U. This also applies to the shaft 72 to which this wheel is fixed. The shaft 72 carries, at each end, a bevel gearwheel 73 which co-operates with another bevel gearwheel 74. These last two wheels are fixed to shafts 75 (Figures 11, 6, 7 and 8). On each of these are secured three gearwheels 76, 77 and 78. The shaft 75 serves as a pivot for a check 79 which'carries a shaft 80. On this shaft there are mounted three gearwheels 81, 82 and 83 which mesh respectively with the gearwheels 76, 77 and 78. These wheels 81 to 83'can be brought into mesh with three other gearwheels 34, 85 and 86 which are mounted free on a shaft 87'. The wheel 84 is rigidly attached to a sleeve 88 to which is secured a drum 89. The gcarwheels 85' and 86 are rigidly attached to drums 90 and 91. The three drums 89, 90 and 91 can therefore turn independently of one another. When the gearwheels 81 to 83 are simultaneously in contact with the wheels 76 to 78 and 84 to 86, the'three drums turn at the same speed and drivethree ribbons 92, 93 and 94.

The checks 79 which pivot in relation to the two shafts 75, are joined together by a rod 95 in such a way that when the gearwheels 81 to 83 are brought into mesh with the wheels 84 and 86 on one side of the machine, the gearwheels bearing the same numbers on the other side of the machine are not in contact with the gearwheels 84 to 86 on the latter side.

The drums 89, 90 and 91 are thereforewinding drums for the ribbon on the one side and unwinding drums on the otherr They are braked in their unwinding movement by elastic belts96, 97 and 98 passing, on the one hand over pulleys 99, 100 and 101, carried by the shaft 75 and on the other hand over pulleys 102, 103 and 104 rigidly secured to the drums 89, 90 and 91. As a result of the fact that the two shafts turn in opposite direction from one another, the unwinding drums are braked as a result of the sliding of the corresponding belts 96 to 98 on the corresponding pulleys 102 to'104.

The ribbons 92 and 93 serve to print onthe individual documents respectively inscriptions for checking the p'a'ssage of the individual documents through the machine (for example a'mark and a number) and the complete text 7 carriedby the detachable typing unit 7 mentioned above. The ribbon 94 serves to print the abridged text on the reference strip 127 which remains in the machine.

The machine illustrated also makes it possible to print the abridged text on two strips which are pushed towards the outside of the machine in the direction X in which the individual documents are pushed from the magazine towards the position where they are printed. These strips are numbered 105 and 106 in Figures 1 and 14. latter figure it is seen that they are unwound from the rollers 133 and 134 by being drawn during their passage between the rollers 135 and 136. These push them across the'machine after their passage to the printing place in the direction of the arrow X. The strips 105 and 106 pass between superimposed strands of the ribbon 94. These superimposed strands are obtained by making this ribbon pass over idler rollers 107, 108, 109. The strands are sufficiently wide apart to allow the strips 105 and 106, which are pushed towards the outside of the machine, to pass between them. Nevertheless they are sufiiciently close together to allow the abridged text to be printed simultaneously on the strips 105 and 106 leaving the machine and on the reference strip which remains in the machine.

Beside the fixed support 6 for the individual document 5, shown in dotted dash lines in Fig. 10 there is another fixed support 112 which is nearer to the printing head by a distance equal to the thickness of the individual rigid document 5. This arrangement is chosen to make it possible to print documents wider than the documents 5, these wider documents being introduced into the machine either from the front or from the side. It is in order to print documents introduced into the machine in this manner that detachable typing units 7 wider than the support 6 for the individual rigid documents coming from the magazine are used.

The document 5 brought into the printing position then serves as a partial support for the documents to be printed. In order to prevent this document 5 from being ejected sideways after each printing operation, or from being replaced by another rigid document coming from the magazine, a disengaging device is provided between the driving mechanism for the pusher and the operating lever 29 and between the driving mechanism for the carriage 64 and the same operating lever 29. These two disengaging devices are governed in such a way as to disconnect the corresponding mechanisms simultaneously.

In the embodiment illustrated, there is provided, on the periphery of each of the two plates 38 and 49, a notch numbered respectively 113 in Figure 12 and 114 in Figure 13.

These two notches are arranged in such a way that when the perating lever 29 has been lowered to the end of its stroke in the direction of the arrow Z, they are simultaneously opposite a stop 115 forming part of a slide 116 which can be moved in the direction of the arrow 0. By entering these two notches 113 and 114, the stop 115 blocks the mechanism actuating the pusher 4 and the mechanism actuating the carriage 64. At the same time, this stop comes into contact with the 'pawls 37 and 48 and causes them'to pivot in such a way as to disengage them from the notches 39 and 47 respectively, provided in the periphery of the discs 36 and 35. From then on, it is therefore possible to actuate the operating lever in both directions without displacing the individual rigid document 5 which is in the printing position.

The machine illustrated also comprises a connection between the operating member 116 for the disengaging devices and the operating member 29 for the driving mechanisms in a single direction consisting, on the one hand, of the disc 35 and the pawl 48 and on the other hand of the disc 36 and'the pawl 37. This connection In this is such that the slide 116 cannot be moved into the posi tion causing the disengaging of the pawls 37 and48except when the pusher 4 has already brought a rigid document into the position shown by on Figure 10.

For this purpose, in the machine illustrated, the slide 116 carries, bymeans of a support 117 (Figures 11 and 13) a pin 118. When the machine is intended to print a succession of documents 5, the pin 118 is inside a ring 119 having a slot 120. As can be seen in Figure 13, this ring constitutes a stop for the pin 118 when an attempt is made to displace the slide 116 in the direction of the arrow 0, before an individual rigid document has been brought into the printing position. When the operating lever 29 has been lowered to the end of its stroke in the direction of the arrow Z, the slot 120 is opposite the pin 118 and the latter can be displaced in the direction of the arrow 0, which causes the disengaging and the looking of the mechanisms actuating the pusher and the carriage.

The machine illustrated comprises, in addition to the detachable typing unit 7, mentioned with reference to Figure 1, a second detachable typing unit 121 (Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5) mounted on a movable support 122. The latter can be moved from outside a casing 123 by pressing a knob 124 mounted at one end of a rod 125 which can be pivoted and displaced axially. This casing is sealed so as to prevent fraudulent access to the position for printing the individual documents and the reference strip which remains in the machine.

When this rod occupies the position illustrated in Figure 5, the second detachable typing unit 121 is brought into a position where it is accessible through an aperture 126 provided in the cover of the casing.

When one detachable typing unit 121 has been replaced by another through the aperture 126, it is first necessary, in order to bring this detachable typing unit into a position close to the printing position, to cause the rod 125 to pivot in the direction of the arrow V until the typing unit comes into contact with a stop at the level of the position which it occupies for printing. The rod 125 is then displaced axially to insert the detachable typing unit below the printing head 8 carried by the part 9. This translational movement is limited by the foot of the support 122 coming into contact with the pivot of the part 9. It is the foot of this same support which, when it comes into contact with the lateral wall of the casing 123, limits the axial path of the rod 125 when the second detachable typing unit is released from the printing head.

It is obvious that the invention is not exclusively limited to the embodiment illustrated and that many modifications could be made to the shape, arrangement and constitution of certain of the parts used in its construction.

What I claim is:

l. A machine for simultaneously printing inscriptions on individual rigid documents and abridged inscriptions thereof on a reference strip which remains in the machine, comprising a magazine for said individual rigid documents, a reciprocating pusher for pushing sequentially said documents from said magazine into printing position, means for reciprocating said pusher, a first fixed impression support for said documents at said printing position, a second fixed impression support for said reference strip at its printing position located at the side of said first support opposite said magazine, means for advancing said reference strip a predetermined distance after each impression, an impression head mountedfor movement towards and away from said fixed impression supports for simultaneous application against said document and said reference strip when on their respective impression supports, means for operating said impression head, a detachable typing unit mounted upon said impression head with the part corresponding to the printing of the abridged inscriptions on the reference strip and the part corresponding to the printing of the other inscriptions on the individual documents placed one before the other, an inking ribbon interposed between each individual rigid document in printing position and said typing unit, a second inking ribbon located between said reference strip in printing position and said typing unit, means for moving said inking ribbons at right angles to the movement of said individual rigid. documents from said magazine, a second strip, means for pushing said second strip from the machine in the same direction as said individual rigid documents are pushed from said magazine, idler rollers located on each side of said ref erence strip over which said second inking ribbon is Wound to provide between said reference strip and said typing unit in printing position a plurality of strands to receive between them said second strip to permit the simultaneous printing of said abridged text on said second strip and on said reference strip, a reciprocating carriage for ejecting the printed individual documents from the machine in a direction at right angles to their movement from said magazine and means for reciprocating said carriage intermediate the movements of said typing unit and said pusher.

2. A machine for simultaneously printing inscriptions on individual rigid documents and abridged inscriptions thereof on a reference strip which remains in the machine, comprising a magazine for said individual rigid documents, a reciprocating pusher for pushing sequentially said documents from said magazine into printing position, means for reciprocating said pusher, a first fixed impression support for said documents at said printing position, a second fixed impression support for said reference strip at its printing position located at the side of said first support opposite said magazine, means for advancing said reference strip a predetermined distance after each impression, an impression head mounted for movement towards and away from said fixed impression supports for simultaneous application against said document and said reference strip when on their respective impression supports, means for operating said impression head, a detachable typing unit mounted upon said impression head with the part corresponding to the printing of the abridged inscriptions on the reference strip and the part corresponding to the printing of the other in scriptions on the individual documents placed one before the other, an inking ribbon interposed between each individual rigid document in printing position and said typing unit, a second inking ribbon located between said reference strip in printing position and. said typing unit, means for moving said inking ribbons at right angles to the movement of said individual rigid documents from said magazine, a second strip, means for pushing said second strip from the machine in the same direction as said individual rigid documents are pushed from said magazine, idler rollers located on each side of said reference strip over which said second inking ribbon is wound to provide between said reference strip and said typing unit in printing position a plurality of strands to receive between them said second strip to permit the simultaneous printing of said abridged text on said second strip and on said reference strip, a reciprocating carriage for ejecting the printed individual documents from the machine in a direction at right angles to their movement from said magazine and means for reciprocating said carriage intermediatethe movements of said typing unit and said pusher, a reciprocating operating lever controlling said means for reciprocating said pusher, said means for reciprocating said carriage, said means for operating said impression head and said means for advancing said reference strip, a gear wheel rotated in one direction upon the first movement of said reciprocating lever and in the opposite direction upon the second movement of said lever, two driving shafts actuated by said gear wheel alternately in opposite directions, and mechanisms for transforming a rotational movement into a reciprocating movement actuated by said driving shafts, one

ofsaid meehanisms governing said means for reciprocattially saiddocuments from said magazine into printing position, means for reciprocating said pusher, a first fixed impression support for said documents at said printing position, a second fixedimpression support for said reference strip at its printing position located at the side of said first support opposite said magazine, means for ad vancing said reference strip a predetermined distance after each impression, an impression head mounted for movement towards and away from said fixed impression supports for simultaneous application against said document and said reference strip when on their respective impression supports, means for operating said impression head, a detachable typing unit mounted upon said impression head with the part corresponding to the printing of the abridged inscriptions on the reference strip and the part corresponding to the printing of the other inscriptions on the individual documents placed one before the other, an inking ribbon interposed between each in dividual rigid document in printing position and said ty ingunit, a second inking ribbon located between said reference strip in printing position and said typing unit, means for moving said inking ribbons at right angles to the movement of said individual rigid documents from said magazine, a second strip, means for pushing said second strip from the machine in the same direction as said individual rigid documents are pushed from said magazine, idler rollers located on each side of said reference strip over which said second inking ribbon is wound to provide between said reference strip and said typing unit in printing position a plurality of strands to receive between them said second strip to permit the simultaneous printing of said abridged text on said second strip and on said reference strip, a reciprocating carriage for ejecting the printed individual documents from the machine in a direction at right angles to their movevment from said magazine and means for reciprocating said carriage intermediate the movements of said typing unit and said pusher, a reciprocating operating lever controlling said means for reciprocating said pusher, said means for reciprocating said carriage, said means for operating said impression head and said means for advancing said reference strip, a gear wheel making a complete revolution in one direction with the first movement of said reciprocating lever and a complete revolution in the opposite direction with the second movement of this lever, a disc fixed to said gear wheel at each side thereof, a peripheral notch in each disc, a plate mounted on each disc opposite said gear wheel, a pawl mounted on each plate cooperating with said notches, each pawl facing in an opposite direction from the other so as to drive the plate on which it is mounted while the other plate remains stationary, a shaft driven by each plate, and mechanisms for transforming a rotational movement into a reciprocating movement actuated by said driven shafts, one of said mechanisms governing the means for reciprocating said pusher and the other said means for reciprocating said carriage.

4. A machine for simultaneously printing inscriptions on individual rigid documents and abridged inscriptions thereof on a reference strip which remains in the machine, comprising a magazine for said individual rigid documents, a magazine for said individual rigid docu ments, a reciprocating pusher for pushing sequentially said documents from said magazine into printing position,

means for reciprocating said pusher, a first fixed impression support for said documents at said printing position,

a second fixed impression support for said reference strip at its printing position located at the side of said first support opposite'said magazine, means for advancing said referencestrip a predetermined distance after each impression, animpression head mountedfor movement towards and awayfro m said fixed impression supports for simultaneousapplication against said document and said reference strip when on their respective impression supports, means for operating said impression head, a detachable typing unit mounted upon said impression head with the part corresponding to the printing of the abridged inscriptions on the reference strip and the part corresponding to the printing of the other inscriptions on the individual documents placed one before the other, an inking ribbon interposed between each individual rigid document in printing position and'said typing unit, a second inking ribbon located between said reference strip in printing position and said typing unit, means for moving said inking ribbons at right angles to the movement of said individual rigid documents from said magazine, a second strip, means for pushing said second strip from the machine in the same direction as said individual rigid documents are pushed from said magazine, idler rollers located on each side of said reference strip over which said second inking ribbon is wound to provide between said reference strip and said typing unit in printing position a plurality of strands to receive between them said second strip to permit the simultaneous printing of said abridged text on said second strip and on said reference strip, a reciprocating carriage for ejecting the printed individual documents from the machine in a direction at right angles to their movement from said magazine and means for reciprocating said carriage intermediate the movements of said typing unit and said pusher, said means for reciproeating said carriage comprising a pulley making acornplete revolution in each direction after the impression of each individual rigid document, an endless cable Wound on said pulley, said carriage being fixed to' said endless cable, fingers on said carriage for engaging the printed individual rigid document to discharge the same and guides for guiding said carriage at right angles to the path of said pusher.

5. A machine for simultaneously printing inscriptions on individual rigid documents and abridged inscriptions thereof on a reference strip which remains in the machine, comprising a magazine for said individual rigid documents, a reciprocating pusher for pushing sequentially said documents from said magazine into printing position, means for reciprocating said pusher a first fixed impression support for said documents at said printing position, a second fixed impression support for said reference strip at its printing position located at the side of said first support opposite said magazine, means for ad vancing said reference strip a predetermined distance after each impression, an impression head mounted for movement towards and away from said fixed impression supportsfor simultaneous application against said document and said reference strip when on their respective impression supports, means for operating said impression head, a detachable typing unit mounted upon said impressionhead with the part corresponding to the print ing of the abridged inscriptions on the reference strip and the part corresponding to the printing of the other inin printing positionand said typing unit, means for moving saidinkingribbons at right angles to the movement of said individual rigid documents from said magazine, a

13 second strip, means for pushing said second strip from the machine in the same direction as said individual rigid documents are pushed from said magazine, idler rollers located on each side of said reference strip over which said second inking ribbon is wound to provide between said reference strip and said typing unit in printing position a plurality of strands to receive between them said second strip to permit the simultaneous printing of said abridged text on said second strip and on said reference strip, a reciprocating carriage for ejecting the printed individual documents from the machine in a direction at right angles to their movement from said magazine and means for reciprocating said carriage intermediate the movements of said typing unit and said pusher, a reciprocating operating lever controlling said means for reciprocating said pusher, said means for reciprocating said carriage, said means for operating said impression head and said means for advancing said reference strip, a gear wheel rotated in one direction upon the first movement of said reciprocating lever and in the opposite direction upon the second movementof said lever, two driving shafts actuated by said gear wheel alternately in opposite directions, and mechanisms for transforming a rotational movement into a reciprocating movement actuated by said driving shafts, one of said mechanisms governing said means for reciprocating said pusher and the other said means for reciprocating said carriage, disengaging devices between said last mechanisms and said operating lever, a member for operating said disengaging devices to disengage the corresponding mechanisms simultaneously, a mechanical connection between said member and said driving shafts so that said member cannot be brought into the position causing the two disengagements except when the pusher has already conveyed a rigid document into printing position but before the carriage for removing this document has been displaced, a device for locking the pusher and the carriage in the positions which they occupy at this moment, and a connection between this locking device and the member for operating the disengaging devices so that the locking and the disengaging of the pusher and of the carriage are operated simultaneously.

6. A machine for simultaneously printing inscriptions on individual rigid documents and abridged inscriptions thereof on a reference strip which remains in the machine, comprising a magazine for said individual rigid documents, a reciprocating pusher for pushing sequentially said documents from said magazine into printing position, means for reciprocating said pusher, a first fixed impression support for said documents at said printing position, a second fixed impression support for said ref erence strip at its printing position located at the side of said first support opposite said magazine, means for advancing said reference strip a predetermined distance after each impression, an impression head mounted for movement towards and away from said fixed impression supports for simultaneous application against said document and said reference strip when on their respective impression supports, means for operating said impression head, a detachable typing unit mounted upon said impression head with the part corresponding to the printing of the abridged inscriptions on the reference strip and the part corresponding to the printing of the other inscriptions on the individual documents placed one before the other, said detachable typing unit being wider than said first impression support, a third impression support, a third impression support which is closer to said impression head than said first impression support by a distance equal to the thickness of one individual rigid document, said third impression support being located adjacent said first support so as to be covered by said typing unit simultaneously with the latter, an inking ribbon interposed between each individual rigid document in printing position and said typing unit, a second inking ribbon located between said reference strip in printing position and said typing unit, means for moving said inking ribbons at right angles to the movement of said individual rigid documents from said magazine, a second strip,- means for pushing said second strip from the machine in the same direction as said individual rigid documents are pushed from said magazine, idler rollers located on each side of said reference strip over which said second inking ribbon is wound to provide between said reference strip and said typing unit in printing position a plurality of strands to receive between them said second strip to permit the simultaneous printing of said abridged text on said second strip and on said reference strip, a reciprocating carriage for ejecting the printed individual documents from the machine in a direction at right angles to their movement from said magazine and means for reciprocating said carriage intermediate the movements of said typing unit and said pusher, a reciprocating operating lever controlling said means for reciprocating said pusher, said means for reciprocating said carriage, said means for operating said impression head and said means for advancing said reference strip, a gear wheel making a complete revolution in one direction with the first movement of said reciprocating lever and a complete revolution in the opposite direction with the second movement of this lever, a disc fixed to said gear wheel at each side thereof, a peripheral notch in each disc, a plate mounted on each disc opposite said gear wheel, a pawl mounted on each plate cooperating with said notches, each pawl facing in an opposite direction from the other so as to drive the plate on which it is mounted While the other plate remains stationary, a shaft driven by each plate, and mechanisms for transforming a rotational movement into a reciprocating movement actuated by said driven shafts, one of said mechanisms governing the means for reciprocating said pusher and the other said means for reciprocating said carriage, each of said plates having a peripheral notch therein, a stop cooperating simultaneously with said last named notches when said plate for actuating said pusher occupies the position in which the latter has already completed its reciprocating movement while said plate for actuating said carriage has not yet been displaced and said pawls are mounted on the corresponding plates in such a manner as to be disengaged from said notches in the corresponding disc by the engaging of said stop in the notches in said two plates.

7. A machine for simultaneously printing inscriptions on individual rigid documents and abridged inscriptions thereof on a reference strip which remains in the machine, comprising a magazine for said individual rigid documents, a reciprocating pusher for pushing sequentially said documents from said magazine into printing position, means for reciprocating said pusher, a first fixed impression support for said documents at said printing position, a second fixed impression support for said reference strip at its printing position located at the side of said first support opposite said magazine, means for advancing said reference strip a predetermined distance after each impression, an impression head mounted for movement towards and away from said fixed impression supports for simultaneous application against said document and said reference strip when on their respective impression supports, means for operating said impression head, a detachable typing unit mounted upon said impression head with the part corresponding to the printing of the abridged inscriptions on the reference strip and the part corresponding to the printing of the other inscriptions on the individual documents placed one before the other, said detachable typing unit being wider than said first impression support, a third impression support, a third impression support which is closer to said impression head than said first impression support by a distance equal to the thickness of one individual rigid document, said third impression support being located adjacent said first support so as to be covered by said typing unit simultaneously with the latter, an inking ribbon interposed between each individual rigid document in printing posi 1 tion and said typing unit, a second inking ribbon located between said reference strip in printing position and said typing unit, means for moving said inking ribbons at right angles to the movement of said individual rigid documents from said magazine, a second strip, means for pushing said second strip from the machine in the same direction as from said magazine and means for reciprocating said car riage intermediate the movements of said typing unit and said pusher, a reciprocating operating lever controlling said means for reciprocating said pusher, said means for reciprocating said carriage, said means for operating said impression head and said means for advancing said reference strip, a gear wheel making a complete revolution in one direction with the first movement of said reciprocating lever and a complete revolution in the opposite direction with the second movement of this lever, ardisc fixed to said gear wheel at each side thereof, a peripheral notch in each disc, a plate mounted 011 each disc opposite said gear wheel, a' pawl mounted on each plate cooperating with said notches, each pawl facing in an opposite direction from the other so as to drive the plate on which it is mounted while the other plate remains stationary, a shaft driven by each plate, and mechanisms;

mechanisms-governing the means for reciprocating said,

pusher and the other saidmeans f-or reciprocating said carriage, each of said plates having a peripheral notch therein, a stop cooperating simultaneously with said last named notches when said plate for actuating said pusher occupies the position in which the latter has already com pleted its reciprocating movement while said plate for actuating said carriage has not yet been displaced and said pawls are mounted on the corresponding plates in such a manner as to be disengaged from said notches in the corresponding disc by the engaging of said stop'in the notches in said two plates, a slide upon which said stop is mounted, a pin upon said slide Whose displacement is controlled by the position of one of the parts set in motion by said member for operating said pusher and said carriage in such a manner that said pin cannot be displaced with said slide exceptWhen'said pusher has completed its reciprocating movement and said carriage has not yet begun its own movement. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,427 Norcross Sept. 17, 1895 1,117,179 Fuller Nov. 17, 1914 1,624,685 Smith Apr. 12, 1927 1,858,813 Wheelbarger May17, 1932 2,511,148 Chollar June 15, 1950 2,592,706 Julius -1--- Apr. 15, 1 952 2,626,565 Schuster Jan. 27, 1953 

